Spicy Bits

Congratulations go out to Cafe Madeline, which celebrates 10 years in business this month. The cafe, located at the Piper Palm House in Tower Grove Park, is commemorating the anniversary with a brunch special available through January, where guests can buy one brunch at the regular menu price and get the second for just $10.

CASSY VIRES and JOSH RENBARGER, the husband-and-wife team behind the uber-successful Home Wine Kitchen in Maplewood, have announced they'll be opening restaurant No. 2 later this year. The eatery will be named Table, and will occupy the space that used to be The Stable at 1821 Cherokee Street in Benton Park. Look for a communal dining experience with a menu full of locally sourced goodness and a cocktail program, as well. We can't wait!

CHRISTOPHER LEE has announced via Facebook that he will be leaving his post as executive chef at In Good Company--the group that owns Sanctuaria, Diablitos, Cafe Ventana and Hendricks BBQ-- later this month. Lee, who took home top honors at the Chef Battle Royale competition at Taste of St. Louis last year, hasn't said yet what his next move will be. Good luck, Chef!

Central Table Food Hall will be opening in March at 23 South Euclid Ave. in the CWE, at the corner of Forest Park Parkway. The 10,000 square-foot space will house seven separate and distinct food and beverage experiences, seating for 200 and some patio space, along with a retail component. Modeled after such famous food halls as Eataly in NYC and Umamicatessen in Los Angeles, the project aims to satisfy almost any culinary urge—and quickly. Picture a high-quality, high-end food court of sorts. Should be interesting!

The latest edition of Schlafly's long-running Cabin Fever Beer Festival will be held Saturday, Jan. 12 (noon until 4 p.m.), at the Schlafly Bottleworks in Maplewood. Tickets are available online and at both Schlafly breweries for $25, and will be sold for $30 on the day of the event. There will be some 30 or so beer styles available for tasting, including some of Schlafly's heartiest brews to keep the cold at bay.

More craft beer news to report: Excel Bottling Company in Breese, Ill., has been making and bottling soda for more than 75 years, and now they're getting into the beer biz. The company began brewing in September, and the first brews, Shoal Creek Wheat, Excel Golden Brew and Shoal Creek Winter Ale are on shelves. Look for Excel Citra, a lighter beer with citrus flavors, and Carlyle Lake Lager to be introduced this summer. Currently the beers are available in Illinois only, but the company is actively looking for a distributor in Missouri.